A novel compression-coated doughnut-shaped tablet design for zero-order sustained release

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Materials Science

Background:

• Developing novel oral dosage forms is crucial for improving drug efficacy and patient compliance.
• Doughnut-shaped tablets offer unique drug release profiles.
• Coating technologies are essential for controlled drug release and stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reproducible manufacturing of novel coated doughnut-shaped tablets.
• To assess the zero-order drug release kinetics of model drugs from these tablets.
• To optimize the coating material for enhanced tablet properties.

Main Methods:

• Tablets were compressed using specialized punches for automated production.
• Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) K15M mixed with varying gelatin concentrations was used as the coating material.
• Drug release studies were conducted using caffeine and ibuprofen as model drugs.
• Physical properties such as friability, angle of repose, and compressibility were evaluated.

Main Results:

• The optimal coating formulation included HPMC K15M with 20-30% gelatin, showing <1% weight loss in friability tests.
• Granule blends exhibited favorable flow properties (angle of repose 17.8-22.01 degrees).
• Coating composition did not influence the zero-order release rate of caffeine or ibuprofen.
• The coating demonstrated excellent adherence throughout the drug release duration.

Conclusions:

• The developed coated doughnut-shaped tablet manufacturing process is reproducible and feasible for automated production.
• The optimized coating formulation ensures good physical tablet integrity and drug release characteristics.
• This novel dosage form shows potential for controlled and consistent drug delivery.